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The fifth India-China Annual Defence Dialogue (ADD) was held in Beijing on
January 14, 2013. The Indian tri-service delegation led by Defence Secretary
Shashikant Sharma met its Chinese counterpart led by Deputy Chief of the General
Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Lt Gen Qi Jianguo. According to the
press release issued by the Indian Ministry of Defence, the two sides discussed
bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest, including the
two countries’ assessments of the security situation in the Asia-Pacific region,
as well as the India-China border areas.
Robust Exchanges in the Military Realm
This round of the ADD is an effort to build upon robust military exchanges
between the two countries over the past year. In 2012, a “Working Mechanism for
Consultation and Coordination on India China Border Affairs,” agreed upon during
the 15th round of border talks in January 2012, was operationalised. Two
meetings of the working mechanism took place in Match and then November 2012,
aimed at ensuring peace and stability along the border. September 2012 saw the
India visit of Gen Liang Guanglie, Defence Minister and member of Central
Military Commission. Gen Liang Guanglie met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and
held discussions with the Defence Minister. 2012 also saw numerous military
exchanges between the services of the two countries. Vice Admiral Anil Chopra,
Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Eastern Naval Command visited China during the
port call by the naval ships INS Shivalik, INS Rana, INS Shakti and INS Karmuk
to Shanghai in June 2012 and an Indian Multi Command delegation led by Maj Gen
AL Chavan visited Beijing and Chengdu Military Region in July 2012. Subsequent
visits to China included those by a National Defence College delegation led by
Air Marshal PK Roy, a Defence Staff Services College delegation and Indian Air
Force delegation in September 2012. The important visits from China to India
included a port call by PLA Navy Ship Zhenghe to Kochi in June 2012, visits by
National Defence University delegation under Maj Gen Hong Xiaodong, Nanjing Army
Command College delegation led by Maj Gen Geng Weidong and visit by six member
delegation led by Maj Gen Yuan Jichang for DEFEXPO 2012.
It is clear from these robust military exchanges that both India and China have
attempted to continue dialogue and confidence building in the military realm.
Thus, building upon this goodwill, the ADD addressed the issue of joint-military
exercises between the two countries which have been on hold since 2009. India
and China have till date held two rounds of military exercises; the first at
Kunming (China) in 2007 and the second at Belgaum (India) in 2008. In 2009,
China made evident its reluctance to host a military delegation led by Lt Gen BS
Jaswal on the grounds that he commanded forces in the “disputed and sensitive”
region of Jammu and Kashmir, at a time when China was issuing stapled visas to
residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The action forced the Indian government to put
on hold military exchanges with China. Though the Chinese policy was rolled back
and defence exchanges were subsequently resumed, bilateral military exercises
were not undertaken. The issue was brought up during the Chinese Defence
Minister’s visit to India last year and during the latest ADD. Both countries
decided to hold joint military exercise in 2013.
Defence Dialogue and Military Exchanges – Mitigating Threat Perceptions
The latest ADD is important because it makes evident the will on both sides for
sustained dialogue in the military realm. Avenues for exchange of views and
regular dialogue function as confidence building measures, the ADD and the
military exchanges and exercises discussed between India and China can be seen
to mitigate threat perceptions. Given the continuing mistrust in India over
China’s long term intentions and unresolved border issue, it is certainly a wise
decision by both countries to deepen engagement. For India, battling with an
unfriendly neighbour in the West, it makes sense to maintain stability in the
East. Even though military exercises between the two militaries remain at a very
basic level and have been limited to anti-terrorism and search and rescue
scenarios, they fulfil the important task to making the militaries familiar with
each other. The vilification of known is far more difficult than that which is
unknown. As the Indian military engages with the PLA, it will be able to assess
it better, perhaps exploring a modus vivendi for the future.
International Collaborations
Additionally, as India and China grow in the region, both countries have become
involved in Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations outside their
territories. The experience of military exercises between the two could hold
them in good stead while cooperating internationally. The navies of India, Japan
and China have already reached an understanding on cooperation in anti-piracy
operation off the Gulf of Aden. Military exercises between the navies of the two
countries would be a valuable learning experience for enhancing such cooperation
in the future.
At a time when the United States’ rebalancing to Asia policy is making some in
China very nervous, especially with regard to the role that India may come to
play in encircling a rising China, it only makes sense to deepen and multiply
contacts with the Indian military. This could be reassuring for Chinese scholars
worried about India’s intentions. For India, as China’s naval reach increases,
it would be useful to understand the PLA Navy better.
Both India and China require a stable regional environment to ensure economic
growth for their people. It is their economic growth which underlines their rise
on the international stage. Military conflict between the two would have the
potential to derail this effort on economic development and be detrimental to
their international standing. Even as economic and political contact between the
two countries has picked up pace, military cooperation has lagged. This may well
be due to the unresolved border issue, the experiences of the border war in 1962
and the resultant mistrust. Military exchanges over the past few years have
attempted to fill this gap. There is clearly a need to work on the aspect of the
bilateral relationship that remains the weakest and has the potential to undo
the progress made in other spheres. However, it must be recognised that beyond
regional stability for domestic economic growth, the two countries still do not
share a strategic vision for the region. While military exchanges and dialogue
can go a long way in reducing mistrust and ensuring peace, these steps do not,
by themselves, generate a vision for regional security. India and China have
much ground to cover before they reach such a point in their bilateral
relationship.
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